


We Could be Enough

by Lavosse



Series: We Could be Enough--Lamsibeth AU [1]
Category: Hamilton - Miranda
Genre: Alex is a flirt, Alex is a workaholic, Eliza bakes brownies, Jealousy, Lamsibeth, Laurens is a medic, Modern AU, Multi, Neighbors AU, Peggy is curiously absent because that was convenient, pre-polyamorous relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-07
Updated: 2015-12-07
Packaged: 2018-05-05 13:46:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,474
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5377445
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lavosse/pseuds/Lavosse
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The Schuyler Sisters (two of them, at least) move in next door, and of course Alex just can't mind his own business.<br/>Alex is a flirt; Laurens gets jealous; Eliza is a cinnamon roll.</p>
            </blockquote>





	We Could be Enough

It was when John Laurens had finally pulled his life together that it began to fall apart again.

“We should offer to help the Schuylers move in,” he said. Alex, sitting at his desk, replied with a ‘huh’ and continued typing.

“Aaalex.”

“Aaaaleeex.”

“What _is_ it, John, can’t you see I’m busy?” Alex exclaimed, spinning around in the chair. It wasn’t that Alex was a mean person; just that he often got buried in his work that he forgot Human Social Interaction 101.

“I said we should ask if the Schuyler sisters need help moving in.”

Alex sighed and stood up, rubbing at the Velcro on his wrist braces. “Fine. I thought Burr was helping?”

“Peggy threw him out for being a flirt. And then went to lunch with him.”

Alex nodded sagely. “Yes, that sounds like Burr.”

*

Eliza Schuyler looked like she was doing just fine on her own, carrying a large cardboard box without too much trouble, but she welcomed their help. “My father was worried for us and kept packing more stuff, so there’s more than we should have, and the help just ran off with my sister.” She seemed to freeze in surprise every time Alex smiled. John didn’t blame her.

The complex’s elevator was on the other side of the building, so they carried the boxes up the stairs. By the third box, Alex had quit in favor of Eliza’s handmade lemonade, and John was cursing the fact that they lived on the third floor. If Alex hadn’t already known another Schuyler from college, he wouldn’t have asked to help, wouldn’t be stuck carting boxes—but never one to give up, he hauled boxes up the stairs until the truck was empty.

“Well, I can see that we’re going to be just fine with you as a neighbor,” Alex was saying as John walked in.

“And Peggy,” Eliza reminded him.

“Yes, and Peggy,” Alex said absentmindedly, gazing at Eliza as she poured an extra glass of lemonade for John.

John knew Alex was an awful flirt, but it would be nice if he’d do this sort of thing where John couldn’t see.

“Lazy butt,” he said, as playfully as he could manage, nudging Alex’s shoulder. “You quit on me to come flirt with the girl next door? Rude.”

Alex gave him a conspiratorial grin. “Gotta win over the lady who makes the lemonade, dear.”

“I can hear you, you know,” Eliza said from the kitchenette, only really a few paces away.

“Alex has never been able to hide his plans from anybody,” John said. “Doesn’t make a difference. Man can’t keep secrets to save his life.”

Eliza laughed and distributed the glasses of lemonade. “Sounds like a good quality in a relationship.” She sat down on the couch next to them with a sigh of relief. “Thank you both for helping. When Peggy comes back, you ought to come over for dinner.”

Alex agreed enthusiastically. “That sounds great.”

*

In short, to John, the dinner was nothing short of a disaster. Alex and Eliza flirted blatantly across the table the whole time, while he avoided them by awkwardly conversing with a similarly dismayed Peggy. After nearly two hours of this (he polished off a beer, two helpings of dinner, and a slice of cake, unable to refuse food despite his resentment) he stood abruptly, getting everyone’s attention. “I have to be at work at four tomorrow,” he announced, which was true. “I—we—need to get some sleep.” Not true. John, like Alex, had been known to function normally on two hours’ sleep and a cup of his boyfriend’s famously strong coffee. “Thank you for dinner.”

With prolonged goodbyes as if he lived two states away and not next door, they gathered their things and left, complimenting Peggy on her mac ‘n’ cheese on their way out.

Alex leaned against John’s side as John unlocked the apartment door, cuddly when he was tired. “What was that about?” he yawned. It always amazed John that he could go from so energetic to so exhausted in only a few seconds’ time. “Nothing,” he replied easily, not wanting to trouble Alex, and not wanting to start a fight. It was too late for fighting. “Let’s actually get some sleep, okay? No typing.”

“What?!” Alex protested without real intent. “No typing? John, I won’t survive!” He made a ‘woe is me’ gesture, pretending to faint, collapsing dramatically against John’s chest. John laughed helplessly. “It’s for the sake of your wrists. Don’t forget to ice them if you won’t wear your braces to bed.”

“Yes, mother.”

John rolled his eyes. “I love you, you idiot.” He wouldn’t let Alex’s flirting get in the way of their relationship. He _refused._

“Love you too.” Alex shot him a grin as he disappeared into the bedroom.

*

The next week was filled with such occurrences. Alex would disappear for an hour, and John would find him in talking to Eliza in the hall, or he’d come home to find the apartment empty, and Alexander at Eliza’s, eating lunch with her and sometimes Peggy. John grew more and more aggravated.

Finally, when he got off the ambulance on Thursday afternoon (Tuesdays and Thursdays he worked as an emergency medic at the ambulance company from four am to noon) he made the decision, buying two sandwiches at a shop on the way home and stopping at the door before his own. _312._

John took a few steeling breaths before rapping twice on the door. “Eliza!”

He cringed. Had that sounded too angry? He was angry, but he didn’t want to fight. Although, when it came to Alex, he certainly would.

A flushed, tousled, apron-clad Eliza Schuler came to the door, an oven mitt on one hand. “John! Come in! I’m making brownies, do you want one?”

John was startled, even though he’d tried to prepare himself. In truth, Eliza was an adorable, wonderful person. Why did he want to confront her, again?

“I’d love one,” he said honestly, before he could stop himself. _Get it together, Laurens._ “We need to talk about some stuff, but I brought sandwiches.” He held up the paper bag as she sat him down at the table. “That’s wonderful, John, thank you.” More lemonade was produced from the depths of the small fridge, brownies were cut, and sandwiches set on plates.

Peggy was in her last year of college, Eliza told him as she levered a brownie out of the pan. She had a class from eleven to twelve-thirty, and was probably on campus eating lunch with her friends. John only half-listened, a little nervous and sick to his stomach.

“Is something wrong?” Eliza asked as she finally joined him at the table. “You look pale. You should eat something.”

John opened his mouth—and closed it again. Why waste his breath? Why trouble this girl with his insecurities, when Alex was most likely to blame?

“I’m okay. Thank you for the brownies,” he said instead.

Although John had intended only to stay for a few minutes, get the situation cleared up and leave the sandwiches as a thank-you for Eliza and Peggy, he ended up staying for two hours. They ate, talking sometimes, sitting in companionable silence other times, and it was wonderful talking to a new person, talking to somebody who knew what family problems were like, talking to such a kind woman.

No, it was wonderful talking to _Eliza_.

He looked at his watch (a sorry-dad-missed-your-birthday present from Mary) and jumped up when he saw the time. “Oh, God, it’s three thirty. Eliza, I’ve got to go. Thank you.”

“Say hi to Alex for me, and take some brownies with you!” She said as he grabbed his backpack. “Have a good evening!”

“And yourself,” he responded as he left.

*

Alex was typing again when he got back, talking to what sounded like a potential publisher at the same time with the phone on speaker. John didn’t bother him until he got off the phone.

“Where have you been? I thought they’d kidnapped you to make you work an extra shift.”

“Ha, ha,” John said through a mouthful of brownie.

“What’s wrong?”

John swallowed the brownie and sighed deeply. “Eliza’s a really great person and I tried to be mad at her but I couldn’t…” He groaned the last word, stretching it out.

“You want to…ask her out?” Alex asked almost laughing but not quite.

John turned to glance at him. “Are you serious. Are you _actually serious._ ”

“…yeah.”

“Agreed, then.”

Alex looked surprised. “Really?”

“Yes. She’s awesome and funny and also she makes fantastic brownies. You have to have one.”

Alex broke out in a grin. “I’ll ask her if she’s free for dinner tomorrow.”

John’s heart felt light for the first time in what seemed like a very long week. “Awesome.”

**Author's Note:**

> I might write more in this 'verse? We'll see how it goes.  
> If you liked it, please comment! Comments are my life, so please support my survival and let me know what you thought (or if I made a typo anywhere...).  
> I based this off a prompt/headcanon which I can't seem to find, but if anyone knows of it, please let me know. :)  
> XOXO,  
> Lavosse


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